Metro Halifax

Working with the elements during a game

JENNIFER TAPLIN METRO HALIFAX

Published: September 01, 2011 12:43 a.m.

Kazakhstan’s Bakhtygul Samalikova dives for a ball during her team’s match against Norway at the under-21 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Junior World Championships yesterday. Kazakhstan won the match in straight sets. (RYAN TAPLIN/METRO)

The easiest part of beach volleyball is being a spectator, hopefully in the shade with a cold drink.

Try running through soft sand, diving for the ball and producing enormous amounts of energy with a hot sun beating down overhead.

“It’s very hard, difficult in the sand to move. You have to be strong,” said Esther Hullegie, 18, with Team Netherlands.

Many of these athletes train nearly every day, 20 to 30 hours a week — and that’s just in the off-season.

“There’s endurance, and you have to be explosive. The beach is such a soft surface, you have to be able to get up and move quickly and be agile on that surface,” said Danny Demyanenko, 17, with Team Canada.

His teammate Garrett May, 19, added the heat can be an enormous factor.

“I’m not too worried about it here, but I’ve been to tournaments where it’s been 30 to 40 C and it really comes down to who’s more fit in that situation.”

But several athletes said the Halifax weather so far has been very accommodating.

“This is ideal, like a hot summer day in Norway,” said Team Norway player Lars Retterholt, 20.

He said beach volleyball players learn to work with the elements and not against them.

The key is to drink water and stay out of the shade, said several players yesterday in the 23 C sunshine on the Halifax waterfront.

“The key is to stay hydrated. That’s the number 1 thing that will give you that edge,” Demyanenko said.